Page 84 of Cinderella Screwed Me Over
Wait. What?
Jake wiped his mouth with a napkin. “The limousine bull my granddad used that year gave us lots of trouble. The calves were just too big.”
I stared at Jake, wondering what he’d reveal next.Who is this guy?
Dwight talked about a limousine bull he used to have, then the conversation drifted to the other bulls he’d used over the years, and Jake chimed in with his opinion on the different breeds.
The entire time he talked, I kept thinking I’d only scratched the surface of who Jake was. And as much as I tried to tell myself that I was perfectly good with what I already knew—that knowing more meant getting in deeper—I wanted to know more.
I wanted to know everything.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Because the weather was so nice, we’d eaten cake and ice cream in the backyard. I’d left Jake out there with Dwight, Mom, Anne, and the kids, and headed inside to grab a Mountain Dew. And also because I was freaking out a little bit. After everything Jake had revealed at dinner, I wanted to get him alone, yet I was terrified of the idea at the same time.
Devin and Drew looked up at me as I walked into the kitchen. “You finally brought home someone cool,” Drew said. “Looks like you’re going to settle down after all.”
“Let’s not get carried away. I’m considering a steady relationship, not settling down. I see what happens to people when they get married and have kids.”
Devin crossed his arms. “Oh really? What happens?”
“You know what I mean. I can’t believe you’re not with me on this. You and Anne don’t even get along anymore.”
“That’s marriage. Sometimes we get along, sometimes we struggle. But I know we’ll work it out because we love each other.” Devin locked eyes with me. “Having kids, the ups and downs. You won’t have those—won’t know the joy that comes along with it—because of your stupid theory on relationships. Not letting that into your life doesn’t make you smarter than me, it just makes you a chicken.” He picked up his can of Mountain Dew and headed outside, slamming the door behind him.
“Ouch,” I said.
Drew leaned against the counter next to me. “It’s okay. I’m a chicken, too. Of course, I’m starting to rethink things a bit.”
“Already? You and Lisa just barely met.”
“She’s smart and funny and she calls me on my crap. I think about her all the time. I think I’m falling for her, Darby. Strike that. I’m totally whipped and I don’t even mind admitting it. And if you don’t give Jake a chance, you might miss out on something great.”
I glanced outside, where I could just make out Jake’s profile. I was cracking, I knew—my heart even gave a hopeful flutter as I took him in. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to fight it, despite the overwhelming desire to jump in. “Or I might just get hurt and be forced to start all over again.”
“I guess you’re going to have to decide right now if you want to be a chicken.”
Right now my relationship with Jake felt safe. I liked safe. But what if what was beyond safe was…better? Not that I was going to admit that to Drew. I shrugged. “I’m okay with being a chicken.”
Drew pushed me toward the back door. “Wrong answer.”
…
I pulled back on the reins, bringing Major to a halt near the pond. I swung my foot over and dismounted. Jake brought Sonny up next to me and climbed off.
I draped the reins around the saddle horn and turned to Jake. “You never told me you worked on a farm before.”
“You never asked.”
I crossed my arms and tilted my head.
“Don’t give me that look,” Jake said. “I never know what’s on the approved list of topics. I do recall something about you not wanting to get into my past.”
“I didn’t mean you couldn’t tell me that kind of stuff. I just meant…” It was hard to clarify when I wasn’t sure what I meant anymore. I decided to change the subject instead of try to explain. “So, you know how to ride a horse and you’ve pulled a calf before. How did you fair in the roping contest?”
“Not as good as your brothers, but I did okay. My dad wanted me to learn to work like he had as a kid, so I spent a few summers on my granddad’s farm.” He jerked his chin toward Major. “You never told me you had a horse as stubborn as you. Drew and Devin made it sound like I had a smooth ride on him. I was able to get on, but he fought me the entire time.”
I ran my hand down my horse’s neck. “Major and I have a special bond. He doesn’t trust just anyone.”
